Monday, August 17, 2015

Why Editors Save Writers by Jami Gray

Jami Gray

Why Editors Save Writers

I love my editors. That's right, I am
proud to announce I have more than one, more like five to six if you
combine both sets from Black Opal and MuseIt Up. If you're not
familiar with what happens to your favorite book after your author
types "#END#", here's a quick run down.

The poor baby begins a weight loss
program. The first round will beat that baby down until it's bawling
in corner. The second round will coax it out, wipe its nose, then
proceed to show it the way with some very straightforward talk.
After some pouting, the story will straighten up, and face down the
last round--where the final, professional polish will be
applied--hair combed, pants pressed, shoes polished. Because of
this, some writers have a love/hate relationship with their editors,
they just love to hate them even as they lovveee the final product.

In preparation for putting SHADOW’S
EDGE up for free for the summer, my editor asked me to go back over
it and ensure there were no specks of dust on my shiny baby. She’s
my editor, I didn’t refuse.

Know what I found? The difference
between the fourth book of the series, SHADOW'S CURSE and the first,
SHADOW'S EDGE is...well...tremendous. As in, if I was doing the first
book now with what I've learned, it might be a very different novel,
but I digress.

In 2011, I got my first round of edits
back on SHADOW'S EDGE. I spent at least a week solid going over every
point raised, making notes on style (don't make this passive, show
don't tell), and pondering each question my editor poised. This
turned into long discussions via track changes through all three
rounds of edits, until I finally I let the little bugger go, free to
walk on its own. It's very difficult as a new author to release your
clutching hold and see your story as a new reader, because you've
breathed, cried, screamed at it for so long. Move ahead six months to
SHADOW'S SOUL, this time the track change discussions we're down to
"got it" , "yep, I can see that", or "What
about this?".

Then came SHADOW'S MOON and part of the
reason I love my editors. Every bit of feedback I got from editors on
the first two books pushed me to look at my craft critically and
asked myself, what can I do to strengthen my writing? Challenge
myself as a writer? Create something really cool for my readers?

I decided I wanted to change character
perspective for my third book since Gavin and Raine needed some
breathing room. Plus, well, I was challenged to write a romance.
(Challenge me will you?) Not only did I want Shadow's Moon to focus
on the evolving relationship between Xander and Warrick, but I
decided to mix it up even more, I did two points of views instead of
my normal one. It wasn't easy, but it did teach me quite a bit about
what I still had to learn and practice.

Then, mid 2013 when I handed off
SHADOW'S MOON and the proposal for SHADOW'S CURSE to Black Opal's
caring hands, I decided to pause before starting SHADOW’S CURSE.
I'd been living in the Kyn universe for a long time, much longer than
the publication dates on the books. Other characters and worlds were
pestering me for their spotlight. Plus, since I write from limited
third person point of view, and at one time wrote SHADOW’S EDGE
completely from Raine's POV (oh yes, much therapy was needed after
that), I decided to brave the wild new frontier of first person point
of view.

Not as a New Adult story where first
person seems prevalent, but in an adult Paranormal Suspense story,
one where I could explore my love of military suspense and paranormal
abilities. But here was my challenge—I didn't want every damn
sentence to star with "I" . Come on, if all you hear is "I,
I, I..." you may wanted to gouge out said "I's" eyes.
It wasn't easy, it was difficult, enough so I almost gave up, but
finally, FINALLY, I finished HUNTED BY THE PAST and it became part of
the MuseItUp family. It also created a new series, the PSY-IV Teams.

Then while working through the toughest
Kyn book yet, SHADOW'S CURSE and the fiendishly difficult Natasha, I
got hit with the edits for SHADOW'S MOON and HUNTED in one fell
swoop. Anxious, I opened up the track changes, leery I may soon find
myself curled up in a bloody pile in front of my computer. Instead I
got something better. Both editors left me notes, really heart
warming ones, on how much my writing had deepened and how much they
were touched by the story. And this hardhearted wench of words, got a
little bleary. There were still discussions and muttered comments
(not in Track Changes because I didn't want a hit put out on me), but
I'm still loving my editors, because they are still providing me
insight on things I can do better, ways to consider things
differently, and how to ultimately become a more successful writer.

So when the conversation arises among
my partners in writing plots about what makes a successful writer, my
first answer is: EDITORS.

Whether your Indie or Traditional or
any mixture of writer, an editor can only help you. Not only can they
give you an unbiased opinion on your work (Like my question prior to
writing TOUCHED BY FATE of "So I'm going to change the POV on
Book 2 of PSY-IV, you're okay with that right?), they will keep your
story straight, catch when you add an extra arm, leave a character
standing at the side of the road, or another one decides to not only
change hair color but their height (w/o shoes), they will be the
first one to push you off that cliff of what ifs when you can't get
your feet to move. Because if you want to be a successful writer, you
need to continue to grow your craft and your skill set.
Otherwise--same story, different....you get the picture.

Pick up SHADOW’S EDGE for FREE for a
limited time and dive into the shadows of the Kyn…

THE KYN
KRONICLES (Urban Fantasy series w/Black Opal Books)

WRAPPED
IN SHADOWS, Kyn Kronicles .5

(Things
That Go Bump For The Holidays Anthology)

The
magic of the holidays can be hell…

Celebrations
abound during the holidays, but this Christmas an engagement
celebration goes horrifically wrong. What appears to be a
simple murder/suicide hides a vicious surprise. The type of gift
Raine and Gavin, elite member of the Kyn, didn’t want humans to
unwrap, because revealing the monsters in the shadows isn’t the way
to spread holiday cheer.

SHADOW’S
EDGE,
Kyn Kronicles #1

Everyone
fears what hunts in the shadows—especially the monsters…

When
the supernatural lurks in the shadows of the mundane, hunting
monsters requires unique skills, like those of Raine McCord. A series
of deaths threatens to reveal the Kyn community and forces her to
partner with the sexy Gavin Durand.

As
the trail leads to the foundation haunting Raine’s childhood, she
and Gavin must unravel lies and betrayals to discover not only each
other, but the emerging threat to them and the entire magical
community.

SHADOW’S
SOUL,
Kyn Kronicles #2

Some
nightmares are born of love…

A simple
assignment turns into a nightmare when Raine McCord follows Cheveyo
to the Southwest on a consulting gig. When the most feared beings of
the Kyn kidnaps Cheveyo and leaves Raine for dead, her ability to
heal her mind and spirit hinges on the one man who can touch her
soul, Gavin Durand.

Unraveling
the Southwest Kyn’s web of secrets and hidden vendettas will either
bring them together or tear them apart forever.

SHADOW’S MOON,
Kyn Kronicles #3

Even
wild hearts can be broken…

Tracker,
Xander Cade, confronts an enraged Shifter in a crowded human
nightclub, fraying the thin secrecy shielding the supernatural
community from public scrutiny. Danger stalks the pack and she
must protect her alpha and mate, Warrick Vidis, even if he doesn’t
want it.

If
they don’t find a way to trust each other and accept their rare
bond they risk losing everything-their pack, their friends and each
other.

SHADOW’S
CURSE,
Kyn Kronicles #4

Death
and chaos can devastate even the best-laid plans…

After
tragedy strikes the Northwest Kyn, leaving the houses in chaos and
the Wraiths hungry for blood, the fallout threatens Natasha Bertoi’s
carefully laid plans. When the Council sends Darius Abazi, the one
man guaranteed to skew the odds, she faces her toughest opponent yet.

As
death stalks the Northwest Kyn, can Natasha trust Darius, a man well
versed in subterfuge, to uncover the truth before treachery destroys
them all?

1 comment:

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About Me

I worked as an elementary school secretary for twenty-one years. I retired with my wonderful husband, to a fifty-four acre ranch, which is a constant work in progress. We live on solar and wind, which has been a real adjustment! On any given evening, the stars are an awesome sight and can be seen as far as the eye can see!